As a miserable sport person, I don't usually get excited about doing any kind of movement, but there are some exceptions. One of them is kayaking, which I don't do often, but thanks to my luck, a good friend of mine is a kayaking certified trainer and I got him to motivate me every now and then. 

So when the time is right and I feel extremely fit, I go for a small trip, jump into the kayak and try to learn the technique whilst enjoying the astounding landscape surrounding the rivers, which Austria is blessed with in each corner. It takes loads of energy and concentration, so few hours in the water can be beastly exhausting. Even though at the end of the day I am completely drained, I still enjoy doing it and I do it over and over again, because… isn't that what sport is all about? Pushing yourself to the limits and trying to improve with each hour of training?

What I find the most special about kayaking is the connection with the nature. You feel the strength of the water, you smell the plants around, you get in touch with stones, trees and ground. The sore muscles during the next days are absolutely tremendous, but it's absolutely worth it.

As much fun as it is, it can be also quite dangerous, so as a beginner don't ever go down the river in a kayak without a trainer.